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The wind brought down one of our pine trees. I could have spent a few hours removing it, but opted to avoid that kind of labor and, instead, spent around a hundred hours dressing it up.:grin:
This measures about 18" square and about 24" tall. The top lifts off to allow access to solar powered lights for the windows, but is secured in anticipation of the 50 mph, or better, winds we get each year. All the shakes were hand split. Of course, all the siding was cut from cedar I had laying around. The 16 windows are plexi and glow by way of the solar lights inside.
It still isn't done. I have windows with shake awnings and doors, also with awnings, that will be installed in the stump. As well, I have an elevator for one of the main house entry doors and stairs for the other. The base is littered with mushrooms that would make the best expert scratch his or her head. For the heck up it, I'll fire up the scroll saw and cut out a few Plexiglass butterflies on wires to adorn it too. In time, who knows, maybe I'll put a for rent sign out and see if I can lure in an elf, troll, gnome and org or two. Maybe another dragon.
To anyone interested:
STAIN: The cedar shakes were darkened using the steel wool and vinegar approach (even if the "stain" is light, it will darken wood when it dries and the darker the mix the darker the shakes go).
FINISH: Since this will take a beating from hot summer sun, sprinklers and a bit of snow, I wanted to be able to maintain the finish with relative ease. As such, I used the good old pine tar pitch, turpentine and boiled linseed oil approach. I thinned the pine tar with "about" a cup and a half of turpentine, though mineral spirits or paint thinner would work too. When the pine tar is dissolved, it should drip off the brush like oil or even just a bit thinner. To that I added "about" 1/3 cup boiled linseed oil. If it thickened too much, I thinned a bit more.
This finish stinks for a few days, so watch for splashes on your cloths and consider disposable gloves. The finish should soak into dry wood on the first coat or two. If it builds too much, before soaking in, thin a bit more. The thinner can always evaporate off [to California].
The idea is to leave mostly a pin tar pitch finish you can touch, after a few days, and not have it come off on you.
This measures about 18" square and about 24" tall. The top lifts off to allow access to solar powered lights for the windows, but is secured in anticipation of the 50 mph, or better, winds we get each year. All the shakes were hand split. Of course, all the siding was cut from cedar I had laying around. The 16 windows are plexi and glow by way of the solar lights inside.
It still isn't done. I have windows with shake awnings and doors, also with awnings, that will be installed in the stump. As well, I have an elevator for one of the main house entry doors and stairs for the other. The base is littered with mushrooms that would make the best expert scratch his or her head. For the heck up it, I'll fire up the scroll saw and cut out a few Plexiglass butterflies on wires to adorn it too. In time, who knows, maybe I'll put a for rent sign out and see if I can lure in an elf, troll, gnome and org or two. Maybe another dragon.
To anyone interested:
STAIN: The cedar shakes were darkened using the steel wool and vinegar approach (even if the "stain" is light, it will darken wood when it dries and the darker the mix the darker the shakes go).
FINISH: Since this will take a beating from hot summer sun, sprinklers and a bit of snow, I wanted to be able to maintain the finish with relative ease. As such, I used the good old pine tar pitch, turpentine and boiled linseed oil approach. I thinned the pine tar with "about" a cup and a half of turpentine, though mineral spirits or paint thinner would work too. When the pine tar is dissolved, it should drip off the brush like oil or even just a bit thinner. To that I added "about" 1/3 cup boiled linseed oil. If it thickened too much, I thinned a bit more.
This finish stinks for a few days, so watch for splashes on your cloths and consider disposable gloves. The finish should soak into dry wood on the first coat or two. If it builds too much, before soaking in, thin a bit more. The thinner can always evaporate off [to California].
The idea is to leave mostly a pin tar pitch finish you can touch, after a few days, and not have it come off on you.
